Well wishes have been pouring in for the Class of 2022 as they sit to write their final exams this week.
More than 920 000 full and part-time learners will write English Paper 1 on Monday, while others wrote the computer applications technology and information technology paper last week.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said they can can attest that teachers were ready to take this class through as they write these final exams which mark an end to primary and secondary schooling and open the doors to tertiary education and the world of work.
WATCH: Matric Class of 2022 is ready to put pen to paper and Education minister Angie Motshekga says DBE is fully prepared. Full story here: https://t.co/VZgwgZRf3s#classof2022 #matric #MatricExams pic.twitter.com/pRBTqJgZJy
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The importance of this exam cannot be overemphasised, the union said.
The 2022 class is the largest cohort to sit for these exams.
“It is this class that has suffered the most challenges. In 2020, while this class was in Grade 10, it experienced lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lost almost half of the year, as schools closed in March and opened in July, on a rotational basis which continued well into 2021.
“This class only experienced full-time classroom attendance in 2022, while doing Grade 12. As we heaved a sigh of relief as Covid-19 subsided and lockdown restrictions lifted, allowing learners to go back to school on a full-time basis, we were confronted with load shedding.
“Not all schools could afford alternative energy sources to ensure effective learning and teaching in the classroom. Learners could not properly prepare for schooling in their homes due to load shedding,” Sadtu said.
It added that they were still concerned about power outages that would negatively impact learners throughout the process of writing.
“Any disturbance during revision causes anxiety. Power blackouts cause delays in travelling and learners may find themselves arriving at exam centres already emotionally distressed,” Sadtu said in a statement.
It commended the teachers as well as the learners for being innovative in the face of this challenge and improvised.
Sadtu also welcomed the Department of Basic Education’s curriculum recovery programmes to assist this class in the form of study guides, Woza Matric programmes using TV, radio, and social media platforms.
“While we welcome the catch-up programmes by the Department of Basic Education, these will not be sustainable eventually. Study camps, weekend and holiday classes which have been in place even before the Covid-19 pandemic, put enormous strain to learners and teachers.
“We therefore call on the department to put more resources in to capacitate learning and teaching in the lower grades so that schools will not have to subject themselves to such catch-up programmes in higher grades.
“We call for flexibility in time management to accommodate learners or teachers arriving late due to delays caused by load shedding,” the union said.
It also called on the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and Umalusi for the protection and support of these learners by communities and that protest actions must not disrupt any sitting of exams.
The IFP also added its voice to the well wishes for the Class of 2022.
“We would like to remind learners that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, and that time invested in studying will bear fruit. Success in exams is built on consistent hard work and effort,” IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said.
During this often-stressful time, the IFP also called on parents and guardians to support their children.
It further thanked all the teachers and support staff who have worked tirelessly over the past year to prepare learners for these exams. The IFP also thanked in advance all those who will be providing support during the exams in venues across the country.
“We would also like to offer a word of warning to those who might be considering cheating: it is not worth risking your future – please do not cheat.
“Lastly, we trust that provision has been made for exam venues in the case of load shedding, so that exams can proceed without interruption. Good luck to all our matrics,” the party said.
Education